


Chasing Gold

by eelora



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Never Met, Crush at First Sight, First Meetings, Fluff, Gift Exchange, Implied Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, M/M, Mutual Pining, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-14 07:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15383802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eelora/pseuds/eelora
Summary: Being in first place meant winning gold. But Kuroo's okay with losing Mario Kart if it means he can have Kenma, because Kenma is his gold.





	Chasing Gold

**Author's Note:**

> For [kindasortaalive](https://kindasortaalive.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr for the summer fic exchange!
> 
> I'm so sorry for those reading on mobile... there's a few formatting problems where there's a new paragraph in the middle of a sentence which I've tried to fix (but to no avail). Otherwise, enjoy! :)

 

It was early Friday night, and the bar was already full of loud, boisterous people. Located on the outer-skirts of Ginza,  _K.O._ was well known for its large projector screen and variety of gaming consoles that called for memorable PvP nights; something that was clearly popular with the amount of returning patrons.  

These events were always updated and posted to their social media accounts. And with such a large following, the word would spread quickly, leading to a packed bar and a round after round of intense gaming. Of course, there were ground rules to ensure no fights would break-out, and with how unique this bar was, these rules were respected. 

This particular night, however, was the monthly 1v1 Mario Kart championships. For the past six months, one rowdy Kuroo Tetsurou held reign to that title. Undefeated, he had gained quite a reputation along with a large crowd of followers (both strangers and friends), making it one of the most popular nights at the bar. This meant he would sit on the black leather couch for four-hours straight, daring everyone and anyone to rise up to the challenge and kick him from his pedestal.  

After the fifteenth round of the night, the previous player had stalked back off to the bartenders, drowning himself in cheap tequila at his loss. A whole 45 seconds behind Kuroo.  

The bar owner – Ukai – who very much enjoyed hosting these events, stepped in front of the projector holding a microphone and clipboard. The animation of a cheering Wario was illuminated across his body before returning back to the selection pane. He cleared his throat, “Okay next up we have… Applepi?” he looked around, spotting a shorter person who walked forward and seated themselves. Sign-ups were essential for maintaining order within the bar, but real names were not required for the sake of anonymity. Ukai eyed the newcomer skeptically. “Good luck.” 

"Another challenger, hey?" Kuroo smirked as Ukai walked off. The crowd went wild behind him. He adjusted his position on the couch and picked up his controller again. Looking over, he found the small figure hunching in on themselves. Their overly large red hoodie and bottle blond hair was long enough to fall into a curtain around their face, hiding their features. Kuroo merely brushed the cryptic demeanour off – his opponent didn't seem like they were going to be too memorable of a player anyway. "Ready to be crushed, small fry?" 

He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but in all honesty, he was kind of miffed that the player had simply nodded rather than giving him a verbal response.  

Taking a liberal sip of his beer, he set the mug back down on the table with a harsh thud, letting the foamy liquid slosh onto the table. "Alright, don’t come crying when you lose." Kuroo fiddled with the buttons on the controller, selecting the 1v1 option. 

Distantly, he heard the figure beside him huff with something akin to amusement. "It's just Mario Kart." The voice was barely above a whisper, and Kuroo was probably the only person who'd heard it in amongst the cheering crowd. For some reason, the hoarse murmur sent a shiver up his spine. It was almost disturbing, how easily those words provoked him.  

"Yeah?" He taunted back nonetheless. "Well haven't you heard? I'm known as the Mario Kart champion around these parts." The raven moved his cursor with ease, selecting his go-to character Donkey Kong. From his peripheral, he saw nimble fingers swiftly move across the game pad to choose Baby Peach. "Ah, I should've guessed the little blonde would be your racer of choice. As the newcomer, I'll allow you to pick the course." 

With little hesitation, the hooded figure selected rainbow road, curling even tighter into themselves when the crowd  _'oohed'_  in unison.  

Kuroo could care less, however, shooting another challenging glance that was not returned. "Ballsy choice. Let's play."  

The screen changed, panning out to give a preview of the race course before displaying the racers at the starting line. Latiku appeared on his cloud, holding up the set of traffic lights to count down. Kuroo began revving the engine just before the green light flashed and the characters began to race. He maneuvered through all the other racers as he shot off with his head start, with baby peach pulling up right beside him. 

He managed to pull ahead in the first lap, and a brief glance at the map told him that he was pulling ahead from the others. That was, until the vibrations on his controller told him of an incoming item. The blue shell swooped in and took him out in an instant. He cursed beneath his breath as he watched an overly pink automobile overtake him, drifting around the corner and blending into the colour of the track. 

He pushed forward nonetheless, having fallen to third place. Poking his tongue out in concentration, he managed to rear end the NPC with his heavy vehicle as they turned the corner, knocking them from the race track whilst he kept control. Kuroo passed the line a second time, now on his final lap. He could see his opponent in the distance and swerved to collect an item box. 

The patrons all cheered when he scored a set of green shells, yelling at him to fire them off quickly; which would be pointless considering the train of bananas the driver carried behind them. Kuroo huffed at the distraction and let them fade into background noise. With tunnel vision, all he could focus on was beating the player sitting beside him.  

Seconds later, he narrowly avoided the artistically placed banana peels, and grinned widely at the opportunity. He launched all three of the shells just before Baby Peach rounded the second last corner of the track, hoping that at least one of them would find its mark. Gaining speed, he'd almost overtaken them when something flickered in his eye. Looking at the camera view below, he found a review image and Baby Peach driving in reverse upon the last stretch toward the finish line. The car inched past him, the tiny blonde directly facing his Donkey Kong character and using his momentum to be pushed ahead in that last second as they crossed the finish line; only 38 milliseconds separating their final places.  

The bar fell completely silent with the winning soundtrack emitting from the speakers. There was a moment of shock before anyone had registered what exactly had just occurred. And then cheers resounded throughout the building at the defeat of the current champion.  

"APPLEPI, APPLEPI!!" They yelled, moving in to crowd the winner. When they shrunk back, Ukai jumped forward to give the player their space. Kuroo merely shook his head. He'd thought he had that in the bag. At the same time, he couldn't believe the skills that his opponent had pulled. Rather than disappointed, he found himself wanting to see more of this 'Applepi' person's gameplay. Perhaps even learn their secrets. 

"Better luck next time, Monkey boy." The slight tilt to the stranger's head revealed molten gold irises - a hint of exhilaration reflected within them. They turned to observe the way Donkey Kong was crying in defeat on the screen. 

Kuroo gaped at the name. "M-monkey boy?!" He shrieked incredulously.  

The figure shrugged, clearly beginning to feel uncomfortable at the attention. They then pointed straight at Kuroo. "Next round of drinks is on him." Their voice was the loudest it had been all night, but it was enough for them to fade into the crowd as Kuroo was surrounded by cheers and slaps on the back for his sudden generosity.  

He pushed them away, the haunting colour of burnt sienna still imprinted in his mind. There was something so mesmerizing about them... Standing, he reached out to grab a tan arm, pulling his friend close. Wide eyes faced him with question. "Bo," He said urgently, "Can you take over?" 

The owl-like man's curious expression quickly morphed into a wide smile and he nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah man! Just text me later!"  

"Thanks, I owe you one." He returned, pushing through the crowd as Bokuto began to chant  _'Hey, hey, hey – let's party!'_  as a distraction. Everyone else were easily riled in their tipsy-to-drunk states, and Ukai was left to sort out the chaos that the sudden defeat had caused. 

The bed-haired man sprinted down the steps and out on the street. He caught the hooded figure further down the path and chased after them – his long strides easily closing the distance between the two. He reached out to grab their arm, opening his mouth a second later. "Wait!" He called. 

A gasp was pulled from their lips as they were spun, causing the red hood to slip from its place. A poor dye-job revealed itself from beneath the fabric, and the boy's eyes flickered with fear. "I just want to talk."  

The stranger jerked his arm from his grasp, clearly looking frazzled at the situation. His gaze trembled from left to right and avoided looking at him directly. He took a small step back, hands out in front of himself defensively. He whispered with a hitched breath. "D-Don't follow me." 

It was only the panic in his voice that kept Kuroo's feet frozen to the ground as the other made his escape. He had been so hasty to find out more that he'd acted first before thinking it through. The poor stranger probably thought he was a stalker or something. The raven ran a frustrated hand through his hair, wincing as it caught a knot and tugged at his scalp. He probably deserved that. 

"Shit."  

  *******  

Over the past week Kuroo's phone had been filled with consoling messages once the word had spread about his defeat. There had been multiple posts to  _K.O.'s_ social media accounts asking for the identity of the new champion, and various speculations of who they could be. Some thought that they were probably a foreigner, or a Youtuber with a gaming channel because that was the only way that one would acquire enough skills to beat 6-month-leader Kuroo Tetsurou. It was ridiculous, really.  

The said male had only sighed and returned all the texts saying that he was fine, despite knowing that few would believe him. Bokuto, in particular, had been quite vocal about it. Unintentionally rubbing his loss in his face. "Bro. It's not that big of a deal." He raised his eyebrow when the silver-black haired man gaped. 

"But, dude. You lost! You never lose!" He threw his hands up into the air. 

Kuroo reached up to pat his friend's shoulder consolingly. "My whole life doesn't revolve around Mario Kart you know. Besides, losing just means more competition and room to improve." Shaking his head, he moved to grab his briefcase from next to the couch. Moving to the door, he slipped his shoes on and adjusted his shirt collar before throwing a sly smirk at his friend. "I'm off. Make sure to clean up after you and Akaashi are done." 

Bokuto straightened, cheeks stained red as he stuttered over his response. "Me and Akaashi aren't – we don’t... I mean, Akaashi isn't..." He trailed off with a pout as Kuroo sent a two fingered kiss his way, paired with a wink. 

"Whatever you say, darling ~." He slammed the door shut behind him before his friend could chase him and place him in a headlock.  

Feeling rather refreshed, he began his journey toward work, eyes drawn toward little flashes of red, or faux blond hair. Each time they caught his eye, something in his chest would flutter with hope, only for it to be crushed within moments when he spent more time distinguishing their features and finding that it wasn't the stranger.  

"Get a grip." He mumbled to himself. Surely he couldn't be that enamoured with someone who had merely defeated him in a game of Mario Kart. A vision of wide, golden orbs flashed through his mind again. Okay, so perhaps there were various other things that contributed to his curiosity, but it wasn't like it was love at first sight.  

The train announced their arrival at Shinjuku Station, and Kuroo quickly pushed toward the exit and stepped off just as the boarding doors signalled the final warning before closing. Exhaling in relief at the close call, he glanced at the time on the station clock and found that there was still time to spare. He debated for a moment, deciding if he wanted to stop by his usual café. 

After a few moments, someone brushed past him with a huff at him for blocking the path and he quickly began heading right, where he knew the cosy café was located.  

Café Karasu held a mouth-watering aroma of ground coffee beans, baked pastries, and an undertone of vanilla – courtesy of their most popular menu item. Stepping inside, he breathed in deeply, allowing his stomach to rumble from the luxury he was about to indulge himself in. 

It wasn't too busy inside, as the owner of Karasu had purchased quite a spacious building and accommodated for their customers, with three coffee machines in operation and six employees tasked with various jobs for the morning shift. Kuroo found himself going there at least once or twice a week if he managed to catch the earlier train.  

As he approached the counter, the cashier looked up at him with recognition. "Kuroo-san!" The ginger practically jumped in excitement. "You're back!"  

The bed-headed man chuckled, "Of course. When wouldn't I be back, Chibi-chan?" 

"Oh, that's true." Hinata said after a moment's consideration. He pointed to the screen where he entered orders, "Did you want your usual?" 

He thought about it for a moment, eyes tracing over the window full of sweets. One of the pastries caught his eye and he turned back to the ball of sunshine – there was a clear reason why he served the customers first, "Actually, I think I'll have an apple pie today. With my usual cappuccino."  

Nodding, Hinata typed it into the system and quickly bent down to peer into the display case. When he popped back up, his hair was slightly dishevelled and he'd somehow managed to get icing sugar onto his nose. "You're in luck! We only have one more slice of the apple pie left!" 

"Perfect." He responded at the exact same time a soft, slightly disappointed  _'Oh'_  sounded from behind him. Kuroo paused, turning around to find the owner of the voice.  

Hinata had peered around the counter as well, face lighting up with recognition. "Kenma!" He exclaimed, "I didn't know you were coming today!" The boy then pulled back, something clicking in his mind as his expression suddenly seemed torn between something. 

Kuroo had recognised the red jumper the moment he'd turned as well, his heart jumping into his throat at the thought of finally putting a name to the mysterious stranger's face. "It's you!" He fought the urge to point and make a scene.  

The man, now known as 'Kenma' stood there, trying to look impassive. However, there was a clear weariness in his body language. The pudding head returned the greeting monotonously, "Monkey boy."  

Internally, Kuroo cringed at the awful nickname, but let a casual smile slide onto his face nonetheless. He held out his hand, "Actually... it's Kuroo. Kuroo Tetsurou. And I'm sorry for any misunderstandings from last Friday night. I didn't mean to scare you." 

Golden eyes glanced at the outstretched hand with clear disdain. His nose scrunched and forehead creased slightly in an  _ick_  face the longer he kept his hand extended. Eventually, Kenma opted to ignore the taller male in favour of addressing Hinata. "Shouyou... is there really no more apple pie?" 

Hinata's torn expression suddenly made sense as he looked between his two customers. "Yeah, I'm really sorry Kenma." He then turned to the raven head and began trying to bargain with him. "Kuroo-san, is it okay to give to last slice to Kenma? It's his favourite, and usually there's enough for to save for him, but they've been really popular lately... I mean, I'll let you have your coffee for free? Or I can save you a slice for next time you come in?" He began to ramble, arms waving about wildly in worry. 

Kuroo was barely paying attention however, too busy focusing upon the shorter male and how cute he looked, all bundled up in the oversized hoodie. He broke from his thoughts when Kenma shook his head stubbornly. "I don't want it if it's his." 

"No, it's okay," Kuroo pushed back. "I'm not desperate for it... and I haven't paid for it yet anyway." 

He watched as Kenma glanced over at the tantalizing pie sitting in the display case, visibly wavering. It was endearing to see, and Kuroo found himself mentally filing away the adorable expression. He managed to hold his ground for approximately five more seconds before stepping up to the register and sliding over ¥500. A blush filled his cheeks as he tried to hold back his eagerness. "Fine." 

Hinata was relieved that the problem was sorted, and quickly entered the two orders in separately and collecting payment – sticking true to his word and refusing any money from Kuroo. As the ginger left to find a take-away box, Kenma turned to faced him with a piercing gaze. "This doesn't mean I owe you anything." 

Kuroo raised his hands innocently. "Take it as my apology for the other night, instead." He decided that the silence following was better than a cutting response from him. He observed the shorter individual cautiously, wondering if he should attempt to continue the conversation. But he was making an obvious attempt to avoid any further interaction as he waited for Hinata to heat the pastry. The wild-haired man bit his lip – perhaps he'd been too forward.  

"Kuroo-san?" A voice called out, "Your coffee?" 

He looked over to see a freckled boy holding up a take-away cup. "Oh, thank you." 

By the time he turned around with his cappuccino in hand, Kenma was gone, and he was ten minutes late for work. 

 *******  

He began going back to Café Karasu far more often. Most of the employees had come to expect his morning visits, and even anticipated a second one during his lunch break. Kenma hadn't returned since – at least, not at the same time as him – but there was still hope. If anything, he got good coffee out of it rather than whatever instant, watery beverage they had on hand at his workplace. 

Bokuto had quickly picked up on how Kuroo was less reluctant to get out of bed each morning. At first, he'd thought that it was something to do with the hype of his loss at  _K.O._  dying down and settling into a lull. But that was quickly dismissed when he'd brought it up and Kuroo had responded with a questioning glance. So now, each morning the personal trainer would hang around him closely, an inquisitive expression upon his face as he tried to solve the mystery of a Kuroo who was suddenly so willing to get up the moment his alarm went off.  

As such, the raven faced his friend with equal intrigue as he packed his briefcase for the morning. "Bro, what's up with you?" 

"No." Bokuto squinted and pushed a finger into his chest. "The real question is; what's up with  _you_?" 

Kuroo felt his eyebrow quirk, "Nothing? I'm getting ready for work?" 

"I'm serious Kuroo! You've been acting abnormally."  

"Hey, you actually used that word correctly." The taller of the two praised. 

"Thank you!" The owl-like man puffed up his chest proudly. "Akaashi taught me that one." He paused, then raised his voice up a notch. "WAIT! Don't change the subject." 

Kuroo shrugged, "Maybe I just want to be early." 

"Maybe... but I don't think it's that." Amber eyes peered at him, then he leaned in close and sniffed. "Are you wearing cologne? Ohoho – ARE you SEEING SOMEONE?!" Bokuto waved his arms expressively, looking like a baby bird attempting to fly for the first time.  

The raven felt a warmth spread up to his cheeks as the tie he wore suddenly seemed tighter around his neck. He tugged at his collar. Although reluctant, he wasn't about to lie to his best bro. "Bo. I wish, man." 

"But you like someone!" He gasped, "Just wait 'til I tell Akaashi." His words were slightly slurred with his excitement, and Kuroo narrowly avoided the spit that projected from Bokuto's mouth. 

"What? No, don't tell him! At least, not yet."  

A frown, "Why not? Is it that guy who beat you at Mario Kart?" 

He sighed in return – something he'd been doing far too much lately. "Yup." 

"But Akaashi was there that night, so he saw the guy too." 

He scratched the back of his head, "It's embarrassing." 

"Embarrassing?" 

"Yeah, he... doesn't like me very much." He felt his posture slump a little. Despite his increased visits to the café, he'd yet to see Kenma there again. There was no doubt in his mind that he was steering clear of him.  

"He doesn't like you very much?" Bokuto echoed again. 

"Yup." 

"Why?" 

"I dunno." 

"Then maybe he does like you." The former college volleyball ace finalized. "And maybe Akaashi can help. He's good with this stuff." 

"You think he's good at everything, Bo." 

"That's 'cause he is!" 

Kuroo glanced at the clock and cursed. "Shit, I'm late." He gave Bokuto a pointed look that told the man it was completely his fault. He pouted. "Look, we'll talk about this tonight, okay?" Kuroo bargained, already halfway out the door. 

"Deal!"  

By the time he arrived at work, his project manager had stared him down with imposing intensity (a difficult feat considering the man's height but achieved nonetheless). Even though he apologized multiple times while entering his floor, he knew that he would have to work multiple days of overtime to stay in in Yaku, and his employer's good will.  

That being said, the short brunet had been waiting at is desk already. "You're late. Again," The man hissed through his teeth. "For the second time this month." 

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." He tried to pacify the bubbling anger that his project manager was clearly suppressing. Hopefully it would be unleashed upon Lev later instead of him – he'd suffered enough from Bokuto's grilling already. He had a weak mindset at that moment.  

"Just don't do it again." Yaku relented. Kuroo felt a tension he hadn't even realised was there release from his body. His co-worker shifted, giving a once-over of Kuroo's dishevelled appearance and bit his lip. "Is everything okay? You've been more stressed than usual lately." 

The raven shrugged, quickly thinking of an excuse. It wasn't like he could spill that he had a huge crush on this stranger he'd only met twice. And Yaku was sure to mock him if he explained that they'd met when competing in Mario Kart together. If Kenma knew the extent of his infatuation, he'd probably be on the receiving end of another  _ick_  face too. He couldn't really explain why he was so drawn to him; but there was just an aura that he projected that made him want to be beside him... to protect him almost. And his eyes, they stood out so clearly from the rest of his face. Those golden orbs were so expressive, but the walls guarding them made it so hard from him to interpret them.  

 _Crap_. He suddenly thought. The shorter man was still looking at him with a motherly, patient expression. Glancing about fervently, he spotted the papers that were sitting on his desk. "Huh? Oh, yeah. The proposal – I guess I'm worried about it?" 

Yaku blinked, not having expected such a simple worry. "Is that all?" He raised an eyebrow, "You know it's really nothing to worry about. We've got this in the bag." 

"I don't know," Kuroo returned, playing off his excuse. "I feel like they're going to throw us some sort of curveball..."  

The brunet reached up to pat him on the elbow. "Well, shake off those nerves, yeah? Our meeting with the client is only in a few hours." He attempted to send him a reassuring gaze, but Kuroo was already distracted and in his own world. With a shake off his head, he left the wild-haired man to his own devices. Whatever was really running through that man's mind wasn't going to be his problem to deal with. For now. 

*******

Okay, so he may have said that he felt like there was going to be a curveball somewhere along the line. But that didn't mean he'd actually  _thought_  there was going to be a curveball thrown at him. And yes, it was a fucking  _big_  curveball.  

While he had been off to set up the meeting room and projector, Yaku had gone down to the lobby to greet their potential clients from Game Sense Inc. The company were launching a new RPG series and had turned to Nekoma Enterprises for the marketing of the project. They were small, but the games they produced were top notch and were considered somewhat exclusive in the gaming world. Their story line had always held a high standard, and the graphics and character design were even better. For Nekoma, this opportunity would do wonders for their reputation and so Nekomata had put all his trust into Yaku's team to make the collaboration happen.  

What Kuroo hadn't expected, was to see the person he'd spent so much time thinking about seat himself right across from him; a nonchalant look on his face. Kuroo had frozen up instantly, unable to take his eye away from Kenma as his flipped open the folder and silently began skimming through the file. He could feel himself begin to sweat beneath his suit – a heavy pressure and need to impress beginning to weigh down on him. Now he actually was worried that Kenma's impression of him would cause a problem in the success of the proposal.  

"… and this is Kuroo Tetsurou, assistant project manager." The raven registered Yaku's voice introducing him to the panel, and he quickly stood to give a deep bow. 

"It's a pleasure to be working with you all." He spoke. 

The clients from Game Sense stood to bow as well. The woman who sat in the middle of the three spoke first. "Likewise. I'm Shirofuku Yukie, the leader of the project. This is Suzumeda Kaori, our storyboard director, and Kozume Kenma. Our head of the graphics department." 

"Okay, so today you would like to hear our proposal, correct?" Yaku shuffled some papers and pulled out a pen.  

"That's right. We're considering our options in terms of how we would like to publicize our new game." Suzumeda smiled brightly, clearly enthusiastic about the release of the RPG. "This is a rather large decision for us. As our company is still rather small, we've yet to develop a marketing department of our own. We decided it would be best to partner with a large corporation who will advertise our games for the whole series." 

The short brunet nodded, jotting down the information. "Okay so, from the information we've received, we compiled various different strategies that we think will best promote your game and maximise sales. Kuroo, if you could do the honours?" 

Suddenly, all eyes were on him. He took a deep breath and pasted his business smile on his face. "Of course." He rose, taking the clicker in hand and starting the presentation. For the most part, he spoke smoothly, seeing the members of Game Sense nod their heads at various points in the presentation. But there were moments in which he had to pause and regain his composure. 

He'd been unnerved by the fact that cat-like orbs would brush over him every so often, an eerily analytical expression shining through them. But even when he had looked over, he'd struggled to decipher what Kenma was thinking. 

It wasn't until an hour later, and after a brief discussion between the members of Game Sense whilst Kuroo and Yaku went to refill the tea for their guests, that they had come to a conclusion. 

"We like your proposal." Shirofuku announced bluntly – she had never been one to sugar-coat her words. Her eyes flickered left to glance at Kenma, who returned the look with the slightest of nods. "But we would like to have Kuroo-san be project manager instead. He seems to have a better grasp on gaming and as such, will hold a higher appreciation of it. That's our one condition." 

A bewildered expression grew on Yaku's features at her words. He took a moment to thought before nodding. "I'll admit that it's true, Kuroo has always been more of a gamer than me. Alright. You have a deal. Should we draw up the contract?" 

"Wonderful. And there's no need. Our lawyers will have it sent within the next business day."  

A few minutes later, Kuroo and Yaku had lead the group back down to the lobby, with the raven carefully avoiding Kenma's gaze. He was a little confused. He'd seen the glance that Shirofuku had sent the pudding head and had drawn the conclusion that Kenma had been the one to suggest his leadership in the first place. The only question was  _why_.  

He followed Yaku's movements distractedly, bowing at the disappearing company car as it drove their officially new clients back to their own place of business a few blocks away. The two breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief, before turning away from the curb and walking back into the building silently. That meeting had been stressful for him, to say the least. The last thing he'd expected was for Yaku to give in so easily to their condition as well. 

"I can't believe you agreed like that!" Kuroo finally burst out as soon as the lift doors closed, allowing the two to converse privately without drawing attention. "Yakkun, you don't even think I'm mature enough to be the head of a project. Let alone one this big." 

"They wanted you to do it. My hand was forced – Nekomata would have my head if they rejected our proposal." Yaku explained. He didn't look too happy about the situation either. Although it was probably due to the fact his lack of knowledge for gaming had been blatantly obvious during the meeting.  The brunet huffed reluctantly, shifting his body into a calculating stance. "I do trust you Kuroo. I'm just worried that you'll get too caught up inside your mind. Or rather, in this case... your heart." 

"Huh?" A sense of dread filled him at Yaku's words. 

"You're in love. With Kozume-san, that is." 

  *******  

Kenma exhaled shakily as soon as the building disappeared from the car's line of sight. Shirofuku was already busily texting their company lawyer, but Suzumeda had picked up on the nerves that had been coiling tightly in their gut throughout the whole meeting. She reached over to rub his back soothingly, but asked no questions, which Kenma was thankful for. The car ride was less than five minutes long, leaving him with little time to sort his thoughts.  

By the time he was back at his desk, seated in his cushy office chair, he was still quite frazzled. With a deep inhale and slow exhale, he took to drawing aimlessly on his tablet – something that had always soothed him. 

He hadn't expected to see Kuroo there at the meeting, especially after putting in so much effort to avoid seeing him at the café.  

When he'd gone to the bar that night, he hadn't expected for things to turn out this way. From the very beginning, he knew that Kuroo wasn't a bad guy. Even when Kuroo'd followed him out onto the street that night, he hadn't been scared of him - but rather, had been overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of the crowd and the noise. He'd been so focused on defeating Kuroo at the time he hadn't even registered how popular the bar was. 

He had thought that night would be the end of it; the end of seeing Kuroo's stupidly handsome face. But then he kept appearing more and more. First at his favourite café, and then at the convenience store near his workplace, where Kenma had ended up ducking into an aisle to hide. Not to mention the amount of times he had seen the man at the train station. 

In all honesty, if it were not for Akaashi asking him for the favour of 'knocking pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo down a peg', then Kenma probably wouldn't have gone to the bar or have become so hyperaware of Kuroo. Well that, and the man’s unforgettable nest of hair wasn't doing much to diffuse the situation either.  

Heliked to think that he was a good judge of character. Kuroo held a kindness in his eyes that Kenma liked. He was a complete dork, of course, but he was definitely a considerate and caring type of person. And despite Akaashi's nickname for the wild-haired man, he could certainly vouch for Kuroo – even if it were quite reluctant on his part. 

If this were a game, it would be easy. He would choose Kuroo to go on all the side quests with them, level up their compatibility and earn enough experience points in order to further their relationship. Except... reality was completely different, and Kenma couldn't help but keep running away. 

Call him scared, but Kenma's first friend had been Shouyou. His second, and only other friend, was Akaashi. He was doubtful that someone was willing to see past his guarded exterior and actually wanted to get to know him. It was obvious that Kuroo wanted pursue something with him; he wasn't blind. But he had never been a people person and had never been in a relationship, so the idea of being in one was... daunting. The thought of having someone focus all of their attention on him set his nerves of fire. 

"Kenma." A voice called, startling him from his thoughts. Shirofuku stood there, a lollipop between her lips and various snacks cradled in her arms. "I forwarded you some emails, could you check them and make sure all you're happy with the contract?" 

Silently he nodded and turned back to his desktop. He blinked at the drawing that greeted him, as his tablet was connected to the computer. Rubbing his eyes, he double-checked that his sight wasn't failing him and his heart began to pick up in pace. The outrageous, tousled hair... the inquisitive gaze and sly grin... he'd definitely sketched out a character design for Kuroo just now.  

Embarrassingly, it wasn't awful looking either. It maybe even... suited the underworld theme of the game they were currently working on. 

He shook his head. No, it would be wrong to turn Kuroo into an actual character – even if it were just for side-quest use. Despite his feelings on how invasive and immoral it would be to have a Kuroo-like character in-game, he found himself moving the move to hover over the save button anyway; blushing profusely as he did so. 

Perhaps it was time to level up his charisma attributes. 

*******

He needed at least five beers for this. Upon returning home, Bokuto had jumped on him with a wail, saying he'd accidently let it slip to Akaashi and that the said man would be arriving in half an hour himself.  

"If it's any compensation. He said he'll bring dinner?" Bokuto tried, seeing the tight, I-could-kill-you-right-now expression on Kuroo's face. 

The man simply huffed at that; there was no deterring Akaashi if the man was set on something. He walked over to the couch and threw himself onto the soft padding with a groan, muffled by him burying his face into one of the pillows. After a few seconds, he lifted his head. "Fine. Tell him to buy beer, too."  

Owl-like eyes brightened. "Of course!" 

He covered his eyes with his arm, blocking out the light of the living room and plunging him into a serene darkness. Work had pushed upon all his boundaries and it’d been stressful, to say the least. He breathed deeply, attempting to relieve some of his exhaustion. After Kenma had left the building, Yaku had lectured him on professional workplace etiquette and that he would have no tolerance for him letting his feeling get in the way of work. Then, Nekomata had called him up to his office. He’d laid out all of his expectations for his leadership for the project, leaving Kuroo with an even heavier weight upon his shoulders. 

When he finally had returned to his cubicle, he’d barely been given a moment to himself before Inouka, Lev, and Shibayama had approached him one after another with several problems. Files missing, mixed-up legal documents, an odd balance in their project budget. Of course, Yaku had chosen that exact moment to have gone on his lunch break, leaving the office for the cafeteria in the lobby. 

A hand touched against his shoulder, shaking gently. Kuroo reluctantly lifted his arm off his face to find Akaashi peering down at him. He hadn’t even noticed that Bokuto had let him in. Akaashi rose an eyebrow, “I never took you for someone to wallow in self-pity like this.” 

He scowled up at the blue-eyed man. “I’m not being pitiful.” 

“Yes, you are. Pitifully in love.” 

Kuroo sat up at this, looking around to glare at Bokuto. The man was sitting at the island bench scoffing down some noodles. He was clearly off in his own world. Kuroo turned back to face Akaashi. “I don’t think you have a say in this.” 

“Actually, I think I do.” The former setter simply shoved a take-away box into his hands, “Although unintentional on my behalf, I guess you could say I was your matchmaker.” 

Needless to say, the bed-haired man was surprised – if not a little betrayed. He frowned over toward Bokuto again. “Bro? Did you know about this?” 

The two-toned personal trainer shook his head wildly, cheeks bulging with food. “AGAASHI, what do you mean?!” 

He glanced over at Kuroo with a restrained sigh. “Kenma and I are friends. We’ve known each other for nearly a year now. Kuroo was getting too cocky with the whole Mario Kart thing, so I... I asked Kenma to do me a favour.” The explanation was simple and straightforward, Akaashi didn’t want to drag this out longer than it needed to be. Perhaps it was a mistake on his behalf to have had Kuroo and Kenma meet, or perhaps it would be a blessing. His friend might even help to tone down the raven’s devious shenanigans that he always dragged Bokuto into.  

“Hang on a minute...” Kuroo muttered, clutching the warm container of food tightly in his hands – still unopened, “You’re saying that Kenma knew all along?” 

Cold apprehension coursed through his body as he thought about the times he’d met Kenma. The blatant refusal to acknowledge him now spoke volumes; it was simple. Kenma just didn’t like him. A bitter taste settled on the tip of his tongue despite not having eaten anything. His mood soured, and his heart felt just a little more tender and heavy than it had been before.  

He supposed this crush – like most others – had been short-lived. Except this time the feelings hadn’t faded. He rubbed a hand through his hair woefully, already thinking about how he would face Kenma for the next few months at work. 

Akaashi, ever the perceptive man, suddenly stood and bore down on him, "You know. Kenma's really shy. He'll never say anything unless you approach him first." His stance told him that he was protecting his friend, gauging whether or not Kuroo would be worthy to pursue the pudding-head depending on the response he gave. 

Kuroo paused, the implication of Akaashi’s words ringing clear in his mind.  

“Well, if anything, I hope I don’t have to give you the elaborate best friend speech. I’m sure you know what I’ll do if you hurt him.” He said impatiently. The words had been spoken with little heat behind them, but the meaning behind the words didn’t need much of an explanation. Without missing another beat, Akaashi left him alone and walked over to Bokuto, where the owl-haired man lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the other. Akaashi half-heartedly pushed him away. 

Kuroo turned away, he’d rather not see them start making out in the middle of the kitchen. Instead, he set aside the take away container and picked up a can of beer, the cold condensation pricking against his palm. Flicking the can open, he raised the drink to his lips and tilted his head back, letting the amber liquid slide down his throat. When he pulled back, the can was half-empty. 

It was decided. Next time he saw Kenma... he'd tell him how he felt. 

 *******  

Kuroo saw him as he passed by the café. The windows allowed him to see out onto the sidewalk, thus catching the moment Kenma glanced in and met his eyes. The shorter of the two barely even paused before turning and taking off, but the wild-haired man had moved to catch the pudding head before he could run away again. The door chimed loudly as he exited and within a few long strides, the pudding head was in arms reach. Grabbing the man’s arm, he tugged lightly and stopped him in his tracks.  

Liquid gold peered through a curtain of hair -  it was like déjà vu. 

Kuroo swallowed the lump in his throat, taking the chance that felt like he’d been waiting forever for. "Wait. Can we talk? Please?"  

He watched Kenma closely, assessing if he'd crossed a line. Relief filled him as the other gave the smallest of nods and he awkwardly gestured over to the coffee shop. Kenma seemed to pick up on the unspoken words, nodding once more before falling into step with Kuroo as they re-entered the cosy establishment.  

"Uh, how long do we have?" Kuroo questioned cautiously. It would be pointless if the pudding-head could only stick around for ten minutes or so. 

The said boy looked down at his feet, shuffling embarrassedly. "Shirofuku-san... sent me home early because I kept getting distracted." 

"Great. Today's my half-day, so we have as long as we need." The raven tried not to let his enthusiasm show too much. It would suck if Kenma tried to run away again. "I can order, maybe find a table?" 

"Okay."  

After placing their orders – cappuccino for him, and green tea with a slice of apple pie for Kenma – Kuroo found the games developer toward the back of the café. It was hidden from any wandering eyes, but the midday sun shone bright enough to provide a source of natural warmth over the table. He sat down, simply watching as slender fingers deftly pressed at the controls of the psp. Battle sound effects emitted quietly from the console. It was interesting, seeing Kenma so focused upon something and Kuroo felt like he could watch all day. 

It wasn't until a silver haired male walked over with a cheery greeting, placing down the two steaming drinks and aromatic apple pie, that Kenma put the game away. He picked up the fork and scooped up some of the gooey filling that had spilled onto the plate. Wrapping his plump lips around the utensil, he silently tiled his head to prompt Kuroo to speak. 

As the sight of those innocent-looking orbs focusing on him, he stuttered. "C-Can I ask you something?" Start off easy, he thought. There was no need to get too personal too quickly. They had time. Kenma blinked, telling the bedhead to continue. "Well, it's been bothering me since the day of the proposal, but... why did you pick me to lead the project?" 

Kenma seemed to mull over the words, trying to figure out a way to respond. Quietly, he asked, "Do you not think you can handle it?" 

Startled, Kuroo back-tracked. "That's not really what I mean. How do I put it? I... didn't leave the best of first impressions, so I guess I'm just confused as to why you could put so much faith into me?" 

There was a brief silence where Kenma observed him unnervingly. Kuroo took a large gulp of his drink, hiding a hiss as the hot liquid nearly burned his tongue. "You... you're not a bad person." He finally said. A faint blush appeared on the apples of his cheeks as he looked down intently at his pastry. 

Kuroo felt himself heat up a little too, a giddiness spreading through his body at Kenma's words. "Really?" 

He gave a small shrug. "I trust you." 

Something about those words resonated with him. After talking with Bokuto and Akaashi, he knew that Kenma truly meant those words. The wild-haired man gave a short, elated laugh, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "Shit, Kenma." He breathed. 

"Hmm?" 

He groaned, partially slumping over the table. "I can't take it anymore... you're too cute. I'm in so deep." 

The blush came back full force, staining the tips of his ears, but Kenma seemed to be able to keep his expression composed. This was his chance, Kenma thought. He had to take the leap of faith. Clearing his throat lightly, he chose his next words carefully. "When you say it like that, are you implying that you're interested in me... romantically?" 

"Hell yeah," Kuroo's response was immediate. "I mean, I really like you." A fire sparked between them as they gazed at each other. Kuroo felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders at his confession, and he couldn't help that his mouth kept motoring on. "There's just something about you that I'm really drawn to. I can't help it. It sounds really dumb when I say it aloud. And I don't know if it's just me but... since..." 

"Since I beat you in Mario Kart?" Kenma prompted, sensing the other man's reluctance to admit defeat. 

"Ah... yeah... since that happened... I feel like maybe," he took a deep breath, knowing just how silly he sounded, "Maybe we're meant for each other?" 

"Okay then, let's date." He said seriously, chin jutting out with a sign of finality.  

The expression was too adorable for words, and Kuroo clutched at his chest, whining lowly. "Damn Kitten, that was way too straightforward." 

He bit his lip. "Oh, sorry." 

"No, no! Don't be." The other quickly reassured. "Let's do it. Let's date." 

"But, personal and work life is kept separate." Kenma added, a reminder that the two were kind of co-workers for the next few months of the collaboration. 

"I can roll with that." 

The pudding-head scrunched his nose. "Don't say such dorky things."  

The two fell quiet, both reaching to sip at their – now lukewarm – drinks. 

Kuroo leaned forward first. He rested his chin in his palm, a sly grin on his lips. "So, Saturday night? At seven?" 

At that, Kenma let a soft smile slip onto his own face. "Pick me up?" 

  *******

Their busy schedules had them see each other quite often... for work. Their private meetings came around once a week and each time, Kuroo would pull all the strings to deliver. Kenma found himself admiring the man's perseverance; a fancy restaurant, tickets to his favourite band, stargazing at the closest lookout... Saturday nights had truly become his worst nightmare yet the night he looked forward to most.  

It wasn't until Kuroo suggested a day-trip to Disneyland that Kenma had winced and outright refused. "Oh... is there a reason why?" The bed-haired man blinked back his surprise. 

“I’m not a fan of big crowds.” he'd finally had the courage to admit. He saw the instant horror in Kuroo's expression. 

"So, all these other weeks..." 

"No," Kenma stepped forward to pacify his boyfriend's growing dismay, "I enjoyed the other dates. I really did. Disneyland is much more crowded though..." He finished quietly. 

With the distance between them, Kuroo merely smiled and wrapped him in a warm hug. Without hesitation, Kenma accepted the embrace, breathing in the scent that was Kuroo. "It's alright then. We can do something else. Maybe a movie night at your place? My roommate can be a little overbearing sometimes." 

"Mmn, okay." He agreed. Kenma wasn't necessarily fond of the idea of going to Disneyland, but it didn’t mean he couldn't binge a bunch of the movies cuddled up with Kuroo on his couch. "And I know. Akaashi introduced me to him the other day..." He shuddered slightly at the memory. 

So, when he'd opened the door that Saturday night, the last thing he'd expected was for Kuroo to walk in with multiple bags of groceries. "I'm cooking dinner!" Kuroo announced with a bright grin. 

"No." Was his immediate response. But the taller man waved him off anyway and made his way toward the kitchen. 

"I'm not hopeless in the kitchen." Kuroo boasted, "Cooking is clearly a science and I'll have you know that I was one of the best when it came down to chemistry." The bottle-blond still seemed doubtful of his abilities, and it clearly showed on his face because Kuroo winced and feigned a hurt expression. "Ouch, Kenma. Have a little more faith in your boyfriend! I thought you trusted me?" 

"I never said I trusted you with my kitchen." He countered. Although in truth, Kenma had rarely been in the kitchen themselves sans to reheat food or make some tea. He just didn't like the idea of having to explain to the landlady why his kitchen was the cause of a fire. Perhaps he was overthinking things again... 

"What if I made apple pie?" Kuroo bargained. He reached into the grocery bag and pulled out a juicy green apple, clearly prepared. 

Kenma's attempt at a rebuttal died as soon as he heard the word 'apple' and instead turned to peer up at him with a wide, hopeful expression. The wild-haired man couldn’t help but swoon internally at the fact that he would face him so eagerly. Only two months ago, Kenma would have pointedly ignored him; his defensive walls up and curling into their shy self. But now... he couldn't believe Kenma was his. 

He leaned down, using his free hand to tilt up Kenma's chin. "I'm going to kiss you now." He announces, giving Kenma a moment to back away before pressing a simple, chaste kiss to his lips. Pulling back, the pudding-head gave him a light shove and hid his face in his hands. Kuroo pouted – he missed seeing that cute blush that would spread over their cheeks whenever they were embarrassed. "Well, if I'm gonna make it, I'll need some motivation." He threw in a wink when Kenma finally looked up again. 

"Stupid Kuro." They whispered back. Kuroo threw his head back and laughed loudly.  

"People are stupid when in love, Kitten." 

Kenma turned to sulk a little, "It better be a good apple pie."  

But Kuroo had caught the look in those beautifully wide eyes – Kenma loved him too. 

Warmth filled him completely as the faux blond began to pull out the ingredients he'd brought to make dinner. 

He had truly scored gold.  

**Author's Note:**

> My [tumblr!](https://eelora.tumblr.com/)


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